Leading trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly will take a three-pronged attack into Saturday’s $105,000 Racing Rewards Three-year-old Plate (1200m) at Murray Bridge.
Their three runners all have contrasting form lines and are somewhat overlooked in market dominated by impressive last-start Balaklava winner Lingani who is a $3.80 favourite.
Richard Jolly said the race was a good opportunity for Great Maximus to regain form following two runs up in class during the Adelaide Racing Carnival.
Great Maximus won a handy three-year-old race at Oakbank during the Easter Carnival before chasing home Sir Sway in the Listed Redelva Stakes before he was beaten six lengths behind Skybird in the Group 2 Tobin Bronze last time out.
“He’s probably a prep away from those kind of races,’’ Jolly said.
“Both physically and mentally, he needs more time to mature, we elected to freshen him up and target him at this race,’’ he said.
With a host of Adelaide riders on an overseas holiday including stable jockey Jake Toeroek, Jolly has booked Jacob Opperman for Great Maximus who had a feel of the horse in a gallop on Tuesday morning.
“On his best he can certainly be in the mix in a race like this,’’ Jolly added.
They also have Kalasec drawn a middle gate, the horse having been in the money at all three runs at Murray Bridge, including his last start when third behind Overstrike in the Magic Million Three and Four-year-old feature back in March.
“He’s a consistent horse and on his day he’s certainly capable,’’ Jolly said.
“He gets in OK at the weights,’’ he said.
Jolly also said Star Sirius was a filly with a lot of upside coming off a nice debut win at Balaklava where she was able to round up her rivals from back in the field.
“She has always shown a heap of ability,’’ Jolly said.
“She’s taken a while to get to the track but the way she won was pretty good,’’ he said.
The Stable currently sit one win behind Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea on the Metropolitan Trainer’s Premiership and have Dancing Storm lining up in the $105,000 Racing Rewards Two-year-old Plate.
Dancing Storm won the Magic Millions Two-year-old feature at Murray Bridge first-up back in March and has form around promising Victorian galloper Growing Empire in the Group 3 Breeder’s Stakes at Morphettville in late April.
“He went good in Melbourne, he’s won there before,’’ Jolly said.
“He might be a run below that level without having much luck at his past couple
“I also don’t mind the fact he’s drawn wide,’’ he said.
They also have Pudding heading back to Melbourne chasing successive Sandown wins with Zac Spain again in the saddle.
“The race worked out well the other day, he strikes a harder race this time around but if things go his way he should be thereabouts again,’’ he said.
